Charles University’s faculties are located in Prague, Hradec Králové, Plzeň and Brandýs nad Labem. All of the faculties have their own student accommodation (halls of residence) and refectories. The Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies has teaching centres in Dobruška, Mariánské Lázně, Poděbrady and Zahrádky (near Česká Lípa). Sports facilities and and training centres are located in Horní Poříčí, Dobronice, Plavsko, Albeř, Špindlerův Mlýn, Malá Úpa, Pec pod Sněžkou, and in the Hostivař and Troja districts of Prague. The University also has field research and teaching centres in Rejvíz, Tchořovice, Velemín, Mělník and Horusice. The Charles University archive and depository are located in Lešetice.

Charles University owns approximately 200 buildings in Prague. Outside the city, it owns 136 holiday chalets and 632 tracts of land with a total area of 100 hectares. The University also uses several other teaching and research facilities which it leases from cooperating host institutions – such as the General University Hospital, the Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, the Motol University Hospital and the Archbishopric of Prague.

University buildings and compounds are scattered throughout Prague – in the Old Town (Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Humanities), the New Town (First Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics), Břevnov (halls of residence), Veleslavín (Faculty of Physical Education and Sport), Libeň (Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, halls of residence), and Hostivař (halls of residence, sports centre). The University also has other smaller facilities at various different locations in Prague.

History of Charles University’s compounds and minicampuses

The oldest building at Charles University is the Carolinum. It was dedicated to the University by the Czech King Václav (Wenceslas) IV in 1386 and has been serving the University ever since. Today it is one of Prague’s most venerable historic buildings and provides a beautiful venue for academic, social and cultural events – including graduation and inauguration ceremonies. After the Second World War the University acquired and reconstructed some of the neighbouring buildings. Now this complex, located in the heart of Prague’s Old Town, houses the University’s headquarters (Rectorate).

Another Charles University compound is located in the New Town. Dating from the late 19th and early 20th century, these buildings were acquired by the University for its natural sciences teaching and research. The University is now planning to develop this facility into a minicampus for biomedicine.

More recently built sites owned by the University include the halls of residence at Hvězda and Větrník (dating from the 1960s) plus several facilities from the 1980s, including the halls of residence at Kajetánka and the compound in Libeň (originally shared with the Czech Technical University), to which halls of residence and a refectory have been added.

Some of the University’s buildings have been listed as cultural monuments in recognition of their great historical and architectural value. These include the Carolinum, the buildings in Celetná St. (Nos. 13, 22 and 24), Kamzíkova St. (No. 4), the Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí, No. 25), Smetana Embankment (Smetanovo nábřeží, No. 25), Curie Square (Náměstí Curieových, No. 7), Studničkova St. (No. 4), Ke Karlovu St. (No. 4), Opletalova St. (No. 49), and Slavíkova St. (No. 22). Cultural monuments belonging to the University in locations outside Prague can be found in Hradec Králové (Na Hradě St., No. 91; Šimkova St., no. 13), and in Plzeň (Karlovarská St., Nos. 48 and 50).